The world has been becoming a global village as we enter the 21st century, so there is an increasing need for us to communicate with peoples who are from different countries, and thus the understanding of other countries’ cultures is playing an important role in communicating with others. Culture is a learned set of shared inter-pretations about beliefs, values, and norms, which affect the behaviours of a relatively large group of people. The norms and values affect the way people view the world and the way people interact with others. Culture is the background of people, which is formed by the different language, history, belief, religion, education, and attitude etc.
Ethnic culture as the main element of a people’s personality is not formed by one day. It has been accumulating by the different aspects of native custom since we were born, such as the history, the belief, the religion, and the outlook on life. When a people wants to make a decision, the behaviour of making the decision would be always be affected by the ethnic culture he performed. Such as when a conflict occurs between a kiwi style person and a Chinese, the kiwi person may prefer an open conflict discussion though the problem without maintaining the harmony. On the other hand, the Chinese may prefer keeping silence and make sure the person against him doesn’t suffer disgrace or shame, especially in front of others. Due to the reason of the misunderstanding of Chinese culture behind generous and tolerant behaviour, the kiwi person may become even angry and the conflict is going to be badly.
(b).
In order to communicate effectively in a multicultural communication, people should learn about different cultures, because many cultural problems are not caused by malice but by a lack of knowledge.
Firstly, the most important key to get close and understand other culture is learning the language. Although it is difficult to well learn other languages, try to be familiar with the different language will solve conflict efficiently, because language is symbol of culture and people are able to express attitude and emotion through language.
Secondly, in the workplace the manager should make training to his staff and providing professional development on culture difference. Such as, if there are some Asians in a kiwi company, the manager can design a special training for Asian culture to his staff and make an Asian celebration in some special day with Asian food. This will improve the work efficiency and reduce the barrier due to the reason of cross-culture communication.
Thirdly, making travel arrangements so employees can get together in a relaxed environment and learn more from people with different cultures.
We are living in a diverse world, and career success depends on communicating effectively with other people whose customs and values are different. Each person’s communication style is the combination of both individual and cultural traits. A well understanding how communication is affected by ethnic cultural can help prevent jumping to mistaken conclusions about what a certain kind of behaviour means.
To be a successful manager, they should be able to manage conflict in organization, which is the conflict on both interpersonal and inter-organizational aspect. A good manager needs to be competent in using the rules of the organization and be skilled at emotion management. Conflict is an inevitable and necessary aspect of team and organizational processes, which should not be suppressed and avoided; otherwise it should be confronted, managed and resolved.
Strategic approach can be described as using formal rules and procedures of the organization to deal with conflict.
Firstly, choosing appropriate communication channel. Face-to-face communication is considered as an appropriate way on solving conflict. It is a two-way communication and allows both employer and employee to resolve a particular issue together through an open discussion.
Secondly, handling and managing the power difference. Manager should not treat himself as a top leader in business. Once the conflict occurs manager can ask the employee to come to office and discuss the issue instead writing a memo. Therefore, employees do not need to bear the stress of hierarchical difference. Also, this personal touch will make employee more than willing to discuss the problem.
Thirdly, the key to conflict management is to develop win-win scenarios. This involves managers being able to reconsider the boundaries of individual and group positions to create new solutions that have benefits for both groups. The expected solution after dealing with conflict situation is to make sure both individual and groups involved all obtain benefits. Therefore conflict should be solved peacefully with agreement of both the parties.
However, the situation of conflict cannot be dealt easily if a manager only uses strategic approach, the emotional approach of the conflict is also very important.
First of all, human conflict does not exist in the absence of emotion. People often find their meaning in life through their work, and their personal lives regularly affect their professional lives. For example, if a lady was divorced from her husband recently, she may not be in the right frame of mind and not able to concentrate on her work. To be successful in business, it requires the ability to read other people's emotions and respond appropriately. Employer should respect the expression of staffs’ feelings and willingly listens to the employee.
Secondly, using positive language. This is the most important and difficult part of conflict management. Affirmation of your adversary by using positive statement will provide your respect and admire to the adversary. Employer should create an open discussion situation and use right language, such as I am happy that you are ready to have a coffee and chat with me, it will make employee more comfortable and feel free to talk.
To sum up the points above, strategic and emotional approach do not exit isolate in conflict management. They should be combined properly and have ensured the conflict to be resolved successfully. Therefore, how to apply to the combination of strategic and emotional management will be the key element of conflict resolving.
Global communications become easier accompany the development of Internet. The globe becomes smaller than ever before, people around the world are able to communicate with each other more quickly and convenient. E-mail is very popular in people’s day-to-day life even in business communication.
Generally, E-mail systems are faster and more convenient than traditional paper ones. Firstly, E-mail helps you avoid playing “phone tag” or having to use paper and stamps. Secondly, you can send messages to multiple or single recipients and include, as attachments, multi-media elements such as word files, photographs, sound and even video. For example, you do not need to prepare several Christmas cards for your friends to who you want to give your wishes. You are able to send an electronic Christmas card to your friends in wherever he/she lives through by e-mail. In addition, e-mail is almost instantaneous and available 24 hours a day, as opposed to normal mail systems that take much longer. Your friends will receive your wishes as soon as possible while they access their e-mail from any networked computer around the world, a major advantage for business travellers.
However, e-mail also has distinct disadvantages. One major one is privacy. Instead of thinking about e-mail as if it were private sealed letter, think of it like a postcard. Others can easily read e-mail with access such as the computer system operators. Secondly, receiving junk e-mail is a problem. Often e-mail boxes are jammed with unwanted data sent to “all users” mail lists. The receiver then has to wade through and delete messages of no interest. Thirdly, a further feature of e-mail is that because people often read and write quickly, unintentional rudeness may occur because the writer has not spent time on improving the tone of their message. E-mail messages often display worse spelling, tone, grammar and sentence construction than other written communication. People type rapidly, disregard spelling errors, and do not bother to proof read. Sometimes, in their hurry, people do not even check they are sending the message to the right person. For example, people click the send button and find to their horror that their personal e-mail has gone out to everyone in the business as an all-users’ message.
In conclusion, e-mail is a faster and more convenient communication style in people’s daily life and in workplace. Even though e-mail has several disadvantages, people still use it as an important communication tool. If people download some software that can automatically screen junk e-mail, and if people are able to spend more time on checking the spelling, grammar and even the receiver’s e-mail address, some disadvantages can be eliminated.
Group Decision making
Decision making defined as the act of choosing one alternative from among a set of alternatives. In more and more organizations today, important decisions are made by groups rather than by individuals. Managers can choose whether to have individuals or groups make a particular decision. Thus knowing about their advantages and disadvantages is important.
Group decision making has certain advantages over individual decision making.
Firstly, it enables more information to be brought to bear on the decision. It is especially valuable if the problem is complex. For example, a computer consultant can design a suite of programs for a business but the people who work there will understand more deeply what is required.
Secondly, Different approaches to a problem. Every person’s perception of reality is unique. The more complex an issue, the more desirable it is to get a variety of people working on it, with the aim of a creative and workable solution.
Thirdly, understanding and acceptance of the problem and solution is high. People often understand the problem more fully if they have been involved in it. Then, when a solution has been found, staff will accept and understand it if they have taken part in its design.
On the other hand, there are corresponding disadvantages.
Firstly, Decision is made too soon, it’s because a group may tire of conflict and opt for the first decision supported by most people regardless of whether it is the best decision.
Secondly, there is too much influence by one person. A leader may pretend there is a consultative process but by force of personality or threat not allow real discussion. For example, when things go wrong later he or she can blame it on group of they had the chance to speak their minds but they wouldn’t say a word.
Thirdly, there are Conflicting ideas and positions. As group members work on a problem they may develop a position of their own and against other’s ideas. A group may split into warring factions.
Lastly, is the time factor, too much time consuming. The process of group decision making takes longer, because it takes time for all members to understand, discuss, debate and solve problems.
In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages in group decision making. Group solutions are better than solutions found by individuals, in that the more people involved, the more insights they can offer. It is also easier to discover mistakes when many people assess a possible solution than when just one person dose so. Several people may be able to generate better solutions, especially in a complex problem.
Examples for a group to decide:
The decision is important to the group or when the group must accept it.
The problem is not urgent or when it is so complex as to require broad input.
Group members have the needed information or can quickly obtain it.
Members can share information freely or when resulting conflict is constructive rather than destructive.
Members feel positive about meetings or when it is important to build staff ability to work together.
The group is responsible for the decision.
The leader wants to obtain opinions on how the group sees his or her management style.
Metacommunication
In simple terms, Meta communication is the message behind the message. It’s made up of nonverbal signals that the receiver hears, sees and understands that tell the receiver what you mean. For example, a smile with a compliment can mean that the message is sincere. But a “flat” expression—no smile or positive image to accompany the compliment – can mean the message is not sincere. The words say one thing while the Meta communication says another. We cannot avoid the significance of how we communicate nonverbally.
In detail, Meta communication means the additional elements beyond the apparent message content within a message or a communicative situation. These additional elements help us to gain further insights into what we should interpret from the message or what else the message sender may have in mind. According to the type of activity, we can sub code Meta communication into four parts: body language, artefacts, voice, and time.
Firstly, Body language is interlinked with spoken language and a whole pattern of behaviour from a person. As well as that, various body language signs can complement each other to make a particular meaning crystal clear or strengthen the meaning of what we communicate. Body language is used especially to express feelings through face, eyes, touch, gestures and space. For example, you say that it doesn't matter to you that the appointment is cancelled, but it can be seen in your face and hear from your voice that you are disappointed. The example shows facial expression along with vocal aspects is more important in conveying emotive issues. We use meta communication through body language the whole day through and it is usually more effective as well - an angry look, a dismissal with the hand, a smile or a friendly pinch can often express more than a difficult evaluation conversation.
Secondly, Artefacts can be viewed as object language, that is, objects like clothing, appearance, and office design convey nonverbal messages. How we dress and our personal appearance can convey eloquent messages both about the social groups to which we consider we belong and how we view ourselves. A man’s tie may be a kind of class symbol, for example. Moreover, our offices and our homes usually convey message about our status, self-image and our relationship with others. For instance, your desk may be positioned up against the wall, so you sit at it facing the wall, then turn around to greet whoever enters. This may indicate that you do not consider it necessary to place this kind of barrier between yourself and the visitor. Hence, appropriate artefacts help people communicate more comfortably, effectively, and smoothly.
Thirdly, a message can be added to the words we are using in a spoken sentence by using different characteristics of our voice (pitch, loudness, rate, vocal variety and vocal emphasis). These factors are known as paralanguage, which refers to how something is said rather than what is said. It will let the receiver know what way the message needs to be interpreted. For instance, a question, such as "why have you not told me this before now", can be communicated in a variety of ways by using different intonations. In this way we can add expressions such as anger, disappointment or happiness to the actual words. When talking on the phone we can not make use of body signals like gestures, facial expression and touch. The receiver can not see our body language and therefore we often compensate for that by putting more emphasis on the way we use the intonations in our voice. Hence, paralanguage offers many clues about an individual’s emotional state and his or her personality. It is also important when we cannot see the speaker’s face.
Moreover, time has great important at work. Many of us try to plan our time in advance. Punctual for an interview implies enthusiasm. The amount of time you keep a person waiting can all be taken as messages. Your ability to control other people’s time increases as your status rises. Different culture views the time in quite different ways.
To sum up, it is good to realise that we do not talk continuously, but do give out signals continuously through Meta communication. Furthermore it is useful to look at the different ways in which we communicate. Body language and paralanguage offer many clues about an individual’s emotional state and his or her personality. Appropriate objective language and punctuality convey positive message about our status and relationship with others. Understanding the Meta communication helps us to gain further insights into what we should interpret from the message or what else the message sender may have in mind.
1.
SMCR model as the basic communication model is identified as the process between the sender, the message, the channel and the receiver. The four key elements make up the exact processing of communication and the communication will either not occur or will be inefficient if one of these elements be missing. However, this basic communication model cannot account numerous complexities and subtleties of communication.
Firstly, for example, the nonverbal communication can be treated as a complex way to communicate with others. It is a more extensive aspect in communication which needs the receivers’ ability to well know what the message sender means. Sometimes the message is unclear to know and the channel of sending the message is not appropriate. Such as, a person makes a direct eye contact to a designated person in a special atmosphere with the silence, there is a limitation to know what the sign means for a third party person due to the unclear meaning. On the other hand, most nonverbal communication does not have an appropriate channel for sending the message. Due to the reason of nonverbal communication happens in silent medium, there is a communication channel exists depending on feeling actually, it requires the proper understanding between the sender and the receiver of the message.
Secondly, the SMCR model is a one-way communication model without a feedback loop. It does not incorporate the negotiability of communication. The idea that a sender has in their mind is the initiation of a message to be formed, while the receiver gets the message it will be the terminal of this model. When we add the element o feedback to our communication model, we begin to recognize that in face-to-face settings people are simultaneously senders and receivers of information, which can be treated as two-way communication. But in the SMCR model there is no chance to negotiate the idea of the message until the receiver receives the message. So the lack of negotiability exists in the processing of this model.
By improving the model so that to extend it to solve the inefficiency in this topic we can focus on some further extension of SMCR model. Firstly, the sender of a message wishes to communicate an idea with others instead of have to do it. Then sender must choose certain words or nonverbal methods to send an intentional message. At the meantime, the message must be sent though an appropriate channel. For example, if a manager wants to discuss a mistake, which made by one of his employee, it is better to talk about it face to face than writing a memo or using other communication medium. Then the receiver should attempt to decode what the message really means and making a feedback to the sender of the message. The last processing of feedback is very important to differentiate the one-way communication and two-way communication.
Although the SMCR model is the basic processing of communication, it should be applied properly to cover all communication with different types.
Topic: Aristotle wrote of the importance of three elements involved in effective public speaking. Describe how the knowledge of ethos, Pathos and logos can help you use techniques to become a better speaker.
In business communication, effective public speaking is necessary for a business development. According to Aristotle, there are three basic elements involved in effective public speaking, which are ethos, logos, and pathos. Today we will try to define those elements and discuss how the know ledges can help people use techniques to become a better speaker.
Ethos, logos and pathos are three basic elements for effective public speakers; ethos refers to the nature of source, the characteristics of the speaker. It is hard to give a widely believed definition of ethos, but normally it refers to the credibility of messages and speakers. There are two conditions are necessary to create ethos, firstly, it is the first attribute that an audience looks for in a speaker. Listeners will assess how well the speaker knows the topic and how experienced he or she seems to be. The second element is the credibility of speakers; it is about the trustworthiness and character about the speakers, the attitude toward the speakers will directly affect the attitude toward the messages they received. Also there are some other dimensions of ethos of ethos, which are dynamism, composure and sociability.
Logos is the logic of the message given by the speaker. Ethos is essential but it is not enough on its own to create understanding, therefore logos comes in. Logos help building presentation on relevant information, organize it well and back it up with evidence. Logos also can be understudied as a word or sentence to help people understand and remember, when people use logos in their speaking, the logos gives audience a first impression of the speech, therefore the good logos can help speakers express their meaning clearly, help audience’s understanding, for example, a manager of a company use a good logo to encourage the employees work hard, the logo can remind employees keep in a good condition in their working, and it helps the company’s effectiveness and efficiency, decrease their cost and increase profit.
Pathos refers to the audience’s emotions, passions and subsequent intellectual reaction. A good speaker needs to lead the audience’s emotions, let them accept and believe what the speaker said and follow it. At that time, speakers and audience will have a kind of resonance; audience will accept the speaker’s opinion easily and give feedback. For example, a manager gives a speech to their staffs and affect staff’s emotion to increase their morale; staff will work in a high efficiency and help the business.
In conclusion, ethos, logos, and pathos are three basic elements involved in effective public speaking. A good speaker needs to study and understand these techniques well and use them in their speech, these techniques
Group Decision making
Decision making defined as the act of choosing one alternative from among a set of alternatives. In more and more organizations today, important decisions are made by groups rather than by individuals. Managers can choose whether to have individuals or groups make a particular decision. Thus knowing about their advantages and disadvantages is important.
Group decision making has certain advantages over individual decision making.
Firstly, it enables more information to be brought to bear on the decision. It is especially valuable if the problem is complex. For example, a computer consultant can design a suite of programs for a business but the people who work there will understand more deeply what is required.
Secondly, Different approaches to a problem. Every person’s perception of reality is unique. The more complex an issue, the more desirable it is to get a variety of people working on it, with the aim of a creative and workable solution.
Thirdly, understanding and acceptance of the problem and solution is high. People often understand the problem more fully if they have been involved in it. Then, when a solution has been found, staff will accept and understand it if they have taken part in its design.
On the other hand, there are corresponding disadvantages.
Firstly, Decision is made too soon, it’s because a group may tire of conflict and opt for the first decision supported by most people regardless of whether it is the best decision.
Secondly, there is too much influence by one person. A leader may pretend there is a consultative process but by force of personality or threat not allow real discussion. For example, when things go wrong later he or she can blame it on group of they had the chance to speak their minds but they wouldn’t say a word.
Thirdly, there are Conflicting ideas and positions. As group members work on a problem they may develop a position of their own and against other’s ideas. A group may split into warring factions.
Lastly, is the time factor, too much time consuming. The process of group decision making takes longer, because it takes time for all members to understand, discuss, debate and solve problems.
In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages in group decision making. Group solutions are better than solutions found by individuals, in that the more people involved, the more insights they can offer. It is also easier to discover mistakes when many people assess a possible solution than when just one person dose so. Several people may be able to generate better solutions, especially in a complex problem.
Examples for a group to decide:
The decision is important to the group or when the group must accept it.
The problem is not urgent or when it is so complex as to require broad input.
Group members have the needed information or can quickly obtain it.
Members can share information freely or when resulting conflict is constructive rather than destructive.
Members feel positive about meetings or when it is important to build staff ability to work together.
The group is responsible for the decision.
The leader wants to obtain opinions on how the group sees his or her management style.